Wood Market Trends in Europe - BC Coastal Initiative

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T
R
E
N
D
Price premiums
for certifi ed wood
products are rare.
Figure 10
Certifi cation status in Canada’s forests,
June 2007 (Oct 2007 for FSC)
Source: Canada Sustainable Forestry
Certifi cation Coalition, FSC
CSA
SFI
FSC
Towards green wood
procurement in Europe
Antje Wahl
Both private demand and public procurement policies in Europe drive the
growth in “green” procurement, where environmental criteria play a key role
in the buyer’s decision-making process.
Concerns about legality and sustainability of wood products
Illegal logging in many parts of the world leads to environmental and social
damage and costs governments in lost revenues. The volume from illegal logging
is considerable, estimated at 20 to 40% of total global industrial wood
production. Concern about the consequences of illegal logging led the EU to
adopt an “Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade”
(FLEGT) in 2003 to address these problems. The plan includes measures to
limit the trade in illegally harvested wood, promote green public procurement
policies, and support private sector initiatives.
While the legality of wood products is the main focus of the EU Commission
and FLEGT, in most European countries consumers, industry and NGOs are
also concerned about the sustainability of wood products that are imported
British Columbia
Ontario
Alberta
Quebec
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
PEI
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Million hectares certified
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